Side Note

Behold, the national emojis of Finland

Finland, a nation known for its freezing weather, arch pleasantness, and producing the creator of Linux, has created a set of national emojis with the intent of teaching people that Finland actually has a bunch of shit going on these days. The collection’s highlights include Kokko (“The feeling of being on fire”), Moominmamma (a Finnish cartoon character representing unconditional love, who is not to be confused with moonmoons), wearing sandals with socks, victory over Sweden, and Kalsarikännit (the Finnish word for getting drunk in your underwear). View the full set here.

While we’re on the subject of Finland’s adorable propaganda efforts, the country also has a website devoted to its robust metal scene. Called “Capital of Metal,” the site features a breakdown of Finnish cities ranked by metal bands per 10,000 people. As is natural for a country so proud of its metal scene that also has its own emojis, there is a corresponding “headbanger” emoji.